Barrel mounting for firearms



Dec. 3, 1929. F. T. MOORE 1,738,500

BARREL MOUNTING FOR FIREARMS Filed Oct. 19, 1928 .ZM/@mbar Ffsa'effbc Til/aars,

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Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE FREDERICK T. MOORE, OF EAST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO COLTS PAT- ENT FIRE ARMS MANUFACTURING CO., OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- TION OF CONNECTICUT BARREL MOUNTING FOR FIREARMS Application mea october 19, 192s. Serii No. 313,588.

This invention is particularly applicable to automatic machine guns of the type disclosed in the J. M. Browning patent for automatic machine guns, No. 1,293,021 dated February 4, 1919 but the invention is not necessarily so limited.

The principal obj ect of the invention is to provide a barrel mounting for firearms of this class which permits the barrel to be readily assembled with or disassembled from the barrel extension so as to facilitate the replacement of barrels in service.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown the embodiment of the invention which I now deem preferable but it will be understood that the drawing is intended for illustrative purposes only and is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention.

Of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side View, partly diagrammatic, of a machine gun having incorporated therein a barrel mounting embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the barrel and barrel extension separated from other parts of the gun.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the barrel in a different position.

Fig. 5 is a rear end view of the barrel, this view being taken along the plane of the line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a front end view of the barrel extension, this view being taken along the plane of the line 6-6 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the barrel latch.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, 1 represents the breech casing of the gun and 2 the trunnion block thereof.

The breech casing is provided with a -cover 3 .hinged at 4c to the trunnion block. At 5 there is provided an opening for the admission of a cartridge belt to the feeding and firing mechanisms which are not shown.

The barrel of the gun is represented at 6 and the barrel extension is represented at 7.

The barrel and barrel extension move rearward upon recoil and are returned to their forward positions by the mechanism of the gun following recoil movement. The barrel 6 is provided at 8 with screw threads adapted for the connection of a flash hider or a blank firing device or some other attachment.

Carried by the gun at the front thereof is a means which serves to normally support the forward end of the barrel 6. I have shown for this purpose a water jacket 9 which is carried by the trunnion block 2. The water jacket 9 is provided with a bushing 10 which forms part of a stuffing box to prevent the escape of water from -the water jacket and which further serves as a guide for theforward end of the barrel. i

When the barrel 6 is to be disconnected from the barrel extension 7 the said parts are first removed from the casing 1 at the rear thereof following the procedure set forth in detail in the aforesaid Browning patent. In accordance with the present invention the connection between the barrel and the barrel extension is suchas to permit ready detachment or re-attachment of the barrel or of another similar barrel after the parts have been removed as aforesaid.

The barrel extension 7 is provided at its front end with a barrel receiving opening 11 within which are formed rows or series of interrupted annular ribs 12, 12. I have shown two series of ribs 12, 12 arranged opposite each other and each extending through an angle of less than90o. I do not, however, limit myself to the provision of only two series of ribs as the number may be varied.

The rear end of the barrel 6 is reduced in diameter to permit it to enter the opening 11 in the barrel extension and the said reduced rear portion of the barrel is provided with annular ribs 13, 13 adapted to engage with the ribs 12, 12 on the barrel extension. I have shown two series of ribs 13, 13 corresponding in number, size and shape to the ribs 12, 12 on the barrel extension. The barrel can be assembled with the barrel extension by first turning it to a position approximately 90o from the position shown in Fig. 5, andmoving it rearward to locate the ribs 13, 13 1n the spaces between the two series of ribs 12, 12.

- `15 surrounding the stem`16.

5 bei-manually engaged for rearward movement guided at the front it is not necessary'for it to be rigidly or infleXibly held by the barrel extension, and in fact it is preferable ,to provide a limited amount of freedom permitting adjustment. .Y

In order to lock the barrel against rotative movement and to thus holdthe ribs 13, 13 and 12, 12 in engagement Vi'vith'each other I provide a longitudinallyreciprocable latch 14. For receiving` the latch 14 the barrel eX- tension? is provided with. a longitudinal cylindrical hole 15 and the forward portion of the latch 14 is'ofsueh size as to lit the hole 15. The-latch 14include's a stem 16 at'the rearwhich is adapted to extend into a smaller hole 17 at the rear end of the hole 15. A coil spring 18 is located in the' rearpartof the hole This spring tendsto move the latch forward to its proecting position. For limiting the movement of the latch there is provided a transverse pin 19 which'extends through a notch '2O in thestem/-fk f l A Thefarrel 6 is 4'pr'ivided with a peripheral notch 21 open at the rear'and a portion of the latch 14 is adaptedto enter the notch to pre` vent'rotation of the barrel. The latch 14 has another. portion which projects radiallyV outward beyond theba'rrel to enable the latch to out of the'notch V21. .Asillustrated there is a radialV slot 22 in the barrel extension registering with the hole 15 and the latch is; provided with rintegral keys 23and 24th-ting the said slot,` When the latch is in its forward posif tion as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the inner key 23 `enters the notch 21 inthe barrel thus preventing the barrel from turning.

From the foregoing description it will be "apparent that the barrel can be Vassembled with the barrel extension by simplv inserting it` with the ribs 13,413 between the ribs 12, 12 and then turning ity through'apnroximately 90'". Whenithe barrel 'is firstk inserted the Vlatch 14 will be pushed rearward and thelatch will `autom'a'tically snap into engagement with the notch when the barrel reaches its normal position. The barrel may be disassembled from the barrel extension by first manually engaging the outer portion of the latch 14 and'moving it rearward and by then turning the barreli through approximately 'and withdrawing it. 'Ihe latch 14 not" only holds theloarrel against accidental turning but also `positively resists any turning tendency resulting from the screwing into place `on the threads 8,*or theun'screwing of a Hash hider or blank firing attachment.

What I claim is: v

tension,r the vmy hand this 1,738,500 A j l fj annular ribs therein and also having a smaller holefparallel with the said opening and open at the front, a longitudinally reciprocable barrel normally guided near its forward end lby the said barrel guide and adapted at its rear end to enter the opening in the eX- saidV barrel having interrupted annular ribs adapted upon partial rotation ofthe barrelto enter between the annular ribs onV the extension and also having a peripheral notch open at the vrear andloca-ted to register with the hole inthe extension when vthe barrel ribs are entered between' the extension ribs, and a reciprocable latch in the said hole in the extension spring biased for forward movement to enter'they'notchfin the barrel and having a ward beyond the barrel to enable the latch to out of the said notch. Y f

Intestimony whereof I havehereunto lset 18th day of October, 1928.

FREDERICK TMooRE.

portion projecting'radially outr` 

